Why Thunder?
by StakeTheHeart
Summary: Sometimes nature can be a giant middle finger to a killing machine who shouldn't let it affect her. Just ask Mindy. One Shot


**What is this you ask? So I answer, I honestly don't know. I was woken up this morning to the annoying sound of thunder and thought, this deserves a little something written about it cuz hell, I was trying to sleep, that's why. Like most of the time, I get smacked upside the head by inspiration when it rains. It's really short for me but whatever. Just something to do because I can't very well continue to sleep now can I? Hope you like it or it at least passes the time in a semi-entertaining way. Enjoy!**

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The rain is turning out to be a fucking impediment to all things fun to do. I swear, if it wasn't raining so hard right now, Dave and I would be kicking ass and taking names. But it is, and we are sitting at his house watching some horror movie I couldn't care less about. I was so ready to go out on patrol tonight but he thought against it. It was pouring and he didn't want us getting sick and blah, blah, blah. I stopped listening a while ago. Maybe if I didn't answer he would shut the hell up. He needs to stop nagging like a bitch. Anyway, I'm sitting next to Dave, my eyes on the TV when a huge rolling wave of sound cracks above us. I don't think twice and throw myself under Dave's arm. It was a good thing I finished my hot chocolate earlier because that would have made an unnecessary mess. Dave lifted his arm and looked at me.

"Are you ok? Was that part scary of something?" he asked, a slight smirk on his face. I glared at him and shoved him away.

"No, this movie isn't even scary. We've dealt with crazier criminals than this," I reminded him.

"So what's the problem then?" he responded. I opened my mouth to tell him it was nothing when the roar of thunder returned. It grated on my ears and made me tense next to him, trying to fight the urge to hide. I think he saw my expression anyway because his head tilted in amusement and he smiled.

"You're scared of thunder; seriously? You kill murderers and insane wack jobs on a daily basis and you're scared of thunder?" he inquired unbelievably. I growl and smack his arm.

"I never said I was scared. I'm not scared. Plus, even if I was scared it isn't the same thing," I replied, lamely defending myself. I crossed my arms and tried to return my attention to the TV. Dave kept staring at me though and soon I was livid.

"Fuck Dave, just drop it!" I told him, grabbing a nearby pillow with a tight fist so I wouldn't end up strangling him. I hugged it to my chest and lifted my legs on the couch and crossed them under me.

"I'm glad Marcus isn't around to hear you drop the f-bomb again or any other swear word he doesn't approve of hearing from you. To think, you were doing so good," he pointed out. His teasing smile and prodding finger on my arm just pissed me off more. I snatched his finger in my hand and twisted. He yelped and pulled away, massaging his almost missing digit.

"The correct term is doing 'well' and I don't give a fuck what he says," I retorted, knowing he would disagree the minute I said it. Dave shook his head.

"Yes you would. You may not like Marcus keeping you from doing what you do best but you still love and respect him," he told me. I groaned and slumped in my seat.

"Let's just watch this movie ok?" I insisted. I waited for him to give me a sign he agreed, which he did with a shrug, before I focused on the TV again. I watched as some crazy chick chased her friend with a pair of scissors, finally cornering her, and jamming the shiny blades in her eye. Unnecessary amounts of blood flowed but the whole scene was still cool as hell. The enjoyment all plummeted when Dave decided to talk again.

"It's still so hard to believe though," he commented restlessly. I turned to level my best glare at him when the damn thunder beat me to it. The angry crack and grumble made my jaw wire shut and I jumped slightly. Fuck, if thunder was a person I would stab that asshole a million times; followed by a few shots to all the most sensitive areas. Lost in my thoughts, I was yet again unprepared for the next roll of thunder. My reaction made Dave laugh outright, the movie now forgotten by both of us.

"Well fuck!" I yelled, punching his shoulder to show my anger and hide my fear.

"It isn't my fault the damn sky sounds like it's going to fall!" I shouted angrily. He laughed and nodded mockingly.

"Yeah, the sky is going to fall. Good one Chicken Little," he teased.

"Fuck you Dave," I snarled and attacked. In no time he was face first into the floor with his arms held painfully behind his back and me sitting on top of him. Trust me I made him feel the pain. I wasn't going to let him go until he apologized for that degrading jab.

"Never call me that again. You know what I'm capable of and I'm not above hurting you to prove my point," I told him seriously. He grunted and shifted a little before nodding.

"Yeah I know but you have to admit it was funny," he mumbled into the carpet. I yanked on his arms and he gasped.

"Ok, ok, I'm sorry. I won't tease you anymore alright?" he relented. I let him go reluctantly and returned to the couch. I plopped down on the cushion and crossed my arms, a heavy frown still on my face.

"Shit, I said I was sorry Mindy. Look, its ok to be afraid of thunder," he began, sitting next to me and rubbing his arms. I shot him a look and he raised his hands in surrender.

"Let me just explain ok?" he pleaded, his hands still up. I glanced at him then back at the TV, wondering if I should just ignore him but his eyes practically begged me to listen so I turned to him with an agitated breath, arms still crossed and ready to listen. He smiled and got comfortable.

"First of all, I am really sorry for teasing you but even you have to admit, if you had a chance to pick at someone who would otherwise never be picked on, you would in a heartbeat," he said, arguing his point. I shrugged reluctantly but nodded eventually. I would have definitely taken advantage. Dave knew this so I had to admit to it.

"Second, I understand how you feel. It's really an irrational fear, one that only people who have it understand. I use to be deathly afraid of thunder," he continued. I dropped my fierce stance to stare at him suspiciously.

"Are you just saying this to make me feel better because it isn't working. Being compared to you just makes me feel even more shitty about this whole situation. You really know how to cheer up a chick," I snapped, my glare returning.

"No, just listen to me. I was scared of thunder but I got over it. When a bad storm came around my…my mom would help me. She held me in her arms and told me everything would be ok until the storm passed or the thunder stopped. With her around I wasn't scared anymore," he explained, a light hearted tone in his voice I had yet to hear. Dave rarely talked about his mom. Since she died, he claimed he needed to just keep those thoughts out of his head. He also learned not to say much about her around the house should his dad hear and go silent for days. My defenses dropped at the look on his face, sad, yet nostalgic.

I thought of my own mother who I never got to meet and then thought of Daddy. He never comforted me during thunder storms. He probably thought being scared of a little thunder was stupid, or at least that's what I thought. We never got a chance to talk about it. I assumed that I was weak for being afraid. I mean, how could I be a killing machine but be terrified of nothing but a loud noise in the form of thunder? I remember refusing to let him know and instead, I lied in bed tossing and turning, left alone to defend myself against the tearing sounds that reminded me of the blast of an explosion going off. A violent lifestyle grew violent thoughts I guess. I pulled myself away from the past and looked up at Dave.

"Are you still scared?" I questioned hesitantly. He looked away, his gaze settling on the TV for a little bit. The credits were rolling so I knew he wasn't watching it. My guess was he was reliving his past just as I had done.

"Sometimes, but then I think of her or I remind myself there's nothing to be afraid of. After all, the lightning is what you should really be afraid of. That fucker could strike you dead in a heartbeat and without a single sound or warning. Thunder might sound scary but it's all talk. Kind of like those asshole junkies we fight," he said, trying to put things in my perspective. I laughed at the analogy and nodded.

"Ok, I see what you mean. If the junkies are the thunder am I the lightning?" I asked him curiously. He laughed and nodded his head with certainty.

"You are definitely the lightning," he concluded. I laughed with him and when we finally fell silent I felt better.

"So what does that make you?" I asked him. His gaze turned up to the ceiling in thought, his head tilted and his hand on his chin.

"The scared kid in awe of what lightning could do once it strikes," he finally answered. I was caught off guard by his reply but I felt proud at the same time. Hell yeah he should be afraid and in awe. No one has really bested me in a fight yet, only came close. I was still the one who came out on top though.

"Thanks Dave," I whispered quietly. He might be a pain in the ass both as a partner and friend but he meant well and always had my back. I tucked myself close to his side and draped his arm over my shoulder. Once I felt comfortable, I offered him a smile. He was surprised by my actions but smiled eventually.

"No problem Mindy," he replied, just as softly. I grabbed the remote and started the horror flick from the start because I barely got to see it when the thunder started up. Halfway through the movie the thunder came around again. The first one made me flinch but Dave's hold on me tightened, reminding me it was ok. I glanced up at him and he offered me one of his stupidly crooked smiles. I returned it gratefully and turned my attention back to the movie. I was pretty sure it wouldn't bother me now. Dave had the comfort and love of his mom to keep him company during storms so he got over his fear. I had no one to do that for me in the past but now that I had Dave I could work on that. He might be a dumbass when it came to fighting and he wasn't nearly as skilled as me but that never stopped me from trusting him.

He was my partner, my best friend, and he always had my back regardless of anything we got ourselves into, just as I will always watch his back. We worked as a team in everything we did so why not now? Thunder growled over us but I ignored it, content and comfortable with Dave next to me. The victim on the TV screamed bloody murder as scissors tore into her and I just laughed. Dave shook his head next to me, no doubt wondering how such a scene was funny. His face currently looked slightly uneasy but I knew he could take it. We watched the rest of the movie in silence, occasional laughter from me breaking it once in a while. How the fuck was I ever scared of such a stupid thing as thunder anyway? Shit, I lost my cool for a second there. Fuck that, I vow to never be afraid of anything like that again. Well, maybe as long as I had Dave to always back me up.


End file.
